The environmental effects of pollution and global warming require an energy source which is easy available and lowers the pollution. There is an ongoing search for another viable, safe and economical source of alternative fuel compared to fossil fuel. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. On earth, 90% of the hydrogen atoms are found in water and consequently water has been vied as the favorite choice for an endlessly and renewable fuel propulsion source.
Electrolysis is the main procedure that is being used to produce hydrogen from water. Each water molecule has two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Passing an electric current through water causes the two gases to separate. The oxygen migrates to the positive electrode, the anode and the negative electrode, the cathode, attracts the hydrogen. The resulting process yields twice as much hydrogen as oxygen.
The text book “Fuel From Water”; 12th edition, Copyright© 2008 by Merit Products Inc. Box 6868, Louisville, Ky. 40206; ISBN 978-0-945516-04-0, discloses various concepts to obtain hydrogen from water and the hydrogen is used for example as an energy source for providing power for an internal combustion engine.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,533,919 discloses a method for electrolysis of an aqueous solution of an organic fuel. The electrolyte is a solid-state polymer membrane with anode and cathode catalysts on both surfaces for electro-oxidation and electro-reduction.
In German Patent Application DE 44 43 476 A1, a method is described which provides an internal combustion engine of a vehicle with hydrogen. The vehicle has an electrolysis device for the production of hydrogen and several storage tanks for hydrogen.
U.S. Pat. No. RE 38,066 discloses an electrolysis apparatus which has a number of membrane electrolysis cells. Each of the cells has a membrane formed on both sides with a contact layer. The apparatus, while it is compact in its design, is also suitable for comparatively high hydrogen production rates and can consequently be used particularly flexibly. A contact plate is respectively arranged on each contact layer. Each of the contact plates is formed, on its surface facing the contact layer assigned to it, with a system of ducts for the transport of water and/or gas.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,393,440 provides a system for generating hydrogen gas in an aqueous solution based electrolytic or galvanic cell, wherein the cathode is made from aluminum or an aluminum alloy. In a preferred arrangement the cell is a galvanic cell and cathode is made from aluminum or aluminum alloy and the anode is made from magnesium or magnesium alloy
U.S. Pat. No. 7,510,633 discloses an electrolyzer cell for the electrolysis of water and includes a cathode of generally tubular configuration within which is disposed an anode separated from the cathode by a separation membrane of generally tubular configuration which divides the electrolyte chamber into an anode sub-chamber and a cathode sub-chamber. An electrolyzer apparatus includes an array of individual cells across each of which an electric potential is imposed by a DC generator via electrical leads. Hydrogen gas generated within cells from electrolyte is removed via hydrogen gas take-off lines and hydrogen manifold line. By-product oxygen is removed from cells by oxygen gas take-off lines and oxygen manifold line. The electrolyzer apparatus may be configured to operate either batchwise or in a continuous electrolyte recycle operation to produce high purity hydrogen at high pressure, e.g., up to about (10,000) psig, without need for gas compressors to compress product hydrogen.
US-Patent Application 2009/078568 relates to an on-demand hydrogen gas generation device, suitable for use in a fuel cell, which utilizes water electrolysis, and more particularly galvanic cell corrosion, and/or a chemical hydride reaction, to produce hydrogen gas. The present disclosure additionally relates to such a device that includes a switching mechanism that has an electrical current passing therethrough and that repeatedly and reversibly moves between a first position and a second position when exposed to pressure differential resulting from hydrogen gas generation, in order to alter the rate, at which hydrogen gas is generated, such that hydrogen gas is generated on an as-needed basis for a fuel cell connected thereto, and/or ensure a substantially constant flow of hydrogen gas is released therefrom. The present disclosure additionally or alternatively relates to such an on-demand hydrogen gas generation device that includes a gas management system designed to maximize the release or evolution of hydrogen gas, and in particular dry hydrogen gas, therefrom once it has been formed, thus maximizing hydrogen gas output. The present disclosure is still further directed to a fuel cell including such an on-demand hydrogen gas generation device, and in particular to a fuel cell designed for small-scale applications.
International Patent Application WO 2008/154721 discloses a process encompassing hydrogen and oxygen gases as a partial fuel source when utilized together with a fossil-based fuel to power conventional internal combustion engines. Hydrogen and oxygen gases are produced by electrolysis in an electrolyzer unit(s), on-demand and on-board a vehicle, or in stationary applications, eliminating the need of highly-pressurized hydrogen storage tanks. When said gases are introduced into the combustion chamber of the engine, via the air intake assembly, they increase the efficiency of the combustion burn by enriching the air to fuel ratio, resulting in a reduction of the fossil-based fuels required for optimum engine performance, said gases effectively becoming a partial hybrid fuel source. The process includes scalability for all size and types of installations, cold-weather applications and longer operating capabilities. As an additional benefit, in direct correlation, this process reduces carbon dioxide emissions, and, in varying quantities, other greenhouse gas emissions.
Chinese Patent Application CN 101289747 relates to a hydrogen generating device, in particular to a generating device for automobile hydrogen fuel energy. The device includes a storage battery cell and a hydrogen-oxygen generator, wherein a hydrogen outlet and an oxygen outlet are respectively communicated with a combustion cylinder; the hydrogen-oxygen generator is an SPE technology hydrogen-oxygen generator for water electrolysis and purification. By providing an automobile engine with hydrogen and oxygen generated in water electrolysis and purification as automobile auxiliary energy, the device can save 20 percent of fuel and reduce the emission of harmful gas, which is beneficial to environment protection. The application of the device does not need to change any main structure of an automobile and can be carried out directly on line. The device has the advantages of no pollution, high efficiency, good safety performance and convenient operation, which can be used in all weather conditions
Japanese Patent Application JP 2008208722 discloses a water electrolysis cell including a pair of separators, a solid polymer electrolytic membrane provided between a pair of the separators and having an anode side electrode and a cathode side electrode formed on both surfaces. The feed conductor is interposed between the solid high polymer membrane and the separator. The electrode forming surface is formed except a site where the gas pool of the gas (gaseous hydrogen or gaseous oxygen) produced by the water electrolysis.
US Patent Application US 2007/272,548 A1 discloses an electrode assembly for use in an electrochemical cell, said electrode being in the proportions of a pyramid with the proportions of the pyramidal shape being determined by a specific formula where the height is multiplied by a figure between 1 and 2 to determine the four side lengths and the height is multiplied by a figure between 1.20 and 2.22 to determine the four base lengths.
US Patent Application US 2009/139,856 A1 discloses a cell assembly and a vertically disposed electrode stack within the cell chamber for the electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen and oxygen upon the application of electric current to the electrodes. The cell assembly is arranged to contain an electrode stack immersed in water, the stack consisting of at least two electrodes in the form of or having the shape of quadric surfaces such as cones or cylinders. The electrodes are mounted in close concentric proximity to one another and are positioned by support posts which may also serve as electrical connections and are mounted at the base of the cell chamber and extend upwardly through the base of each electrode. A lip structure to assist in gas dispersement disposed about the upper edge of the upper electrode is also disclosed.